Hegenauer leaves impact on Omer

OMER — Former Omer Clerk Susan Hegenauer leaves a legacy of hard work and caring behind.

Hegenauer passed away at the age of 77 on Feb. 9, and her former colleagues said she was a hard worker, and she will be missed by the community.

Treasurer Joan Steward worked with Hegenauer when Hegenauer first became clerk in 1994. She said that Hegenauer was involved in a number of different activities.

“Susan worked at the local senior center,” she said. “Then she became clerk and started doing both jobs at the same time. She was involved in a lot of different things, and dealt with people in several different areas.”

Steward said that Hegenauer stepped away from the clerk’s position in 2006 before coming back in 2008.

“We needed a clerk, and she came back,” she said. “I think she thought of this job as her civic duty. I think she wanted to be an example for others.”

Mayor Alice Sproule said that Hegenauer was a caring person who worked hard for the city she called home.

“Susan was a kind person,” she said. “She helped with everything she could.”

Hegenauer was born in Bay City in 1933, and married Richard Hegenauer in Bay City in 1955, before moving to Sterling.

Hegenauer had her hands in a number of different things around Arenac County. As well as serving as clerk, Hegenauer also was the founder of the Council on Aging and was the secretary for the Habitat for Humanity, and served as a part-time city clerk in AuGres. She also supported the construction of the Omer Little Eagle’s Nest Library.

Steward said that Hegenauer was a selfless person who did a number of things to serve her community.

“That was just Sue,” she said. “She liked to stay busy.”

Steward said that years of working together made the two friends.

“We had a good working relationship,” she said. “I learned a lot about her, and she learned a lot about me.”

Hegenauer was also a good family person Steward said. Hegenauer had five children, five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

“She was selfless with her family and talked about them at the office,” she said.

Steward said that Hegenauer will be missed and that she will always remember the time they shared together.

“We are going to miss her. I miss her,” she said. “We had a lot of fun at the office. We shared a lot of laughs.”